


Imaan aur Ibaadat

by Golden_Daughter



Category: Jodhaa-Akbar (2008)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Companion Piece, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 03:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18437660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Golden_Daughter/pseuds/Golden_Daughter
Summary: Jalal's PoV of the Man Mohana song.





	Imaan aur Ibaadat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AllegoriesInMediaRes (AllegoriesInMediasRes)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllegoriesInMediasRes/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Paduka](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16566806) by [AllegoriesInMediasRes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllegoriesInMediasRes/pseuds/AllegoriesInMediasRes). 



> This is a companion piece I wrote inspired by the song Man Mohana, for @allegoriesinmediasres's Paduka.  
> Title- Imaan aur Ibaadat: Faith and Prayer (Urdu)

Jalal did not trust himself to speak politely enough to befit the Emperor of Hindustan as he listens to the _Ulama’s_ presumptuous demands. He remains silent, trying to marshal his thoughts, to deliver a definite no with finesse that was required. He is still searching for suitable words when he hears that sound.

Music. An almost otherworldly, serendipitous kind of music that Jalal had never heard before was drifting in the wind, quiet but soaking smoothly into the _Darbar_ nonetheless. The Ulama look upwards in horrified indignation, but Jalal is almost hypnotized by the music he recognizes as his wife’s voice raised in song, singing words he does not understand, yet is mesmerized by the very melody.

He stands up without thinking and follows the trail of her voice, the ministers parting and making way on their own. Jalal remembers in the nick of time to dismiss the courtiers.

He steps automatically into the courtyard, barely paying heed to the servants scurrying to greet him, his feet leading him to his wife’s room.

There was a strong smell of incense as her nears her chambers, and he notices that she had removed her slippers outside what Jalal presumed was her _ibaadat khana_. He supposes Hindus do the same as Muslims before bowing to God, and removes his own shoes before he enters.

His wife is engrossed in her prayers, he notices, as Jalal’s eyes scan the room, taking in the flowers, the offerings and the blue idol he thinks is her God, for she is facing it (Him?), her back to Jalal.

Jalal attempts to be as quiet as he could as Jodhaa’s voice rises to a crescendo, and she cuts herself mid-sentence, turning.

 _Oh_. She’d noticed him. Jalal feels absurdly guilty, like he had trespassed on something. He blinks as she averts her eyes from his and stands, a tray in her hand. He is left nonplussed as she takes a deliberate step back for a moment, until he understands and steps forward.

Still uncomfortable and unsure of what to do, he looks at her with questioning eyes. She gestures to the tray she held in her hand. He lets his gaze fall on it. There is a lighted _diya,_ and plates of turmeric, rice and _sindoor_. He still doesn’t understand what to do, so he looks at her again, something making him refrain from speech. There is exasperation in Jodhaa’s eyes as she twirls her hand lightly above the lighted _diya_ , and Jalal finally understands. He does the same. She holds the tray up to him. _Is there something else I have to do?_ Jalal wonders, frowning slightly, still trying to understand. Jodhaa saves him the trouble when she says, her voice quiet, “Sindoor.”

Oh. Jalal nods slightly, and takes a pinch of the red powder in his fingers, applying it lightly as he could on her forehead. She touches his feet (apparently, that is also custom), and Jalal reaches out instinctively to help her up, to stop her. As she stands, he withdraws his hand, feeling like he had crossed an invisible line.

She touches the tray to her forehead and leaves. Jalal, too, leaves for his own chambers, still struggling to comprehend what had just happened.

He had nearly reached his own chambers, and removed his taaj, when he realizes that he had forgotten his shoes at her _ibadaat khana._

So Jalal walks back there, and finds his wife holding his shoes, an unreadable expression on her face. He is still not sure if he should say something, so he keeps standing there until she notices him. She keeps his shoes in front of him in a jerky movement and flits back into her room.

Jalal is left staring after her, wondering what to make of his enigma of a wife.

**Author's Note:**

> Some Hindi/Urdu words I used and their meanings:  
> Ulama: Muslim religious leaders  
> Darbar: Court  
> Ibaadat khana: Prayer room  
> Diya: Lighted lamp  
> Sindhoor: Vermillon   
> Taaj: Crown
> 
> Thoughts? Comments?


End file.
